System and method for accessing a storage area network as network attached storage
First Claim
1. A method for interfacing a storage area network (SAN) with a first data communication network, wherein one or more hosts coupled to the first data communication network can access data stored in one or more of a plurality of storage devices in the SAN, wherein the one or more hosts access one or more of the plurality of storage devices as network attached storage (NAS), comprising the steps of:
- coupling a SAN server to a SAN;
coupling a NAS server to the SAN server through a second data communication network;
coupling the NAS server to the first data communication network;
allocating a portion of at least one of the plurality of storage devices from the SAN server to the NAS server;
configuring the allocated portion as NAS storage in the NAS server;
exporting the configured portion from the NAS server to be accessible to the one or more hosts coupled to the first data communication network.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method, system, and apparatus for accessing a plurality of storage devices in a storage area network (SAN) as network attached storage (NAS) in a data communication network is described. A SAN server includes a first interface and a second interface. The first interface is configured to be coupled to the SAN. The second interface is coupled to a first data communication network. A NAS server includes a third interface and a fourth interface. The third interface is configured to be coupled to a second data communication network. The fourth interface is coupled to the first data communication network. The SAN server allocates a first portion of the plurality of storage devices in the SAN to be accessible through the second interface to at least one first host coupled to the first data communication network. The SAN server allocates a second portion of the plurality of storage devices in the SAN to the NAS server. The NAS server configures access to the second portion of the plurality of storage devices to at least one second host coupled to the second data communication network.
746 Citations
37 Claims
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1. A method for interfacing a storage area network (SAN) with a first data communication network, wherein one or more hosts coupled to the first data communication network can access data stored in one or more of a plurality of storage devices in the SAN, wherein the one or more hosts access one or more of the plurality of storage devices as network attached storage (NAS), comprising the steps of:
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coupling a SAN server to a SAN;
coupling a NAS server to the SAN server through a second data communication network;
coupling the NAS server to the first data communication network;
allocating a portion of at least one of the plurality of storage devices from the SAN server to the NAS server;
configuring the allocated portion as NAS storage in the NAS server;
exporting the configured portion from the NAS server to be accessible to the one or more hosts coupled to the first data communication network. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
coupling the SAN server to the second data communication network.
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3. The method of claim 2, wherein said allocating step comprises the step of:
viewing the NAS server from the SAN server as a host attached to the second data communication network.
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4. The method of claim 3, wherein said allocating step further comprises the step of:
allocating the portion of at least one of the plurality of storage devices from the SAN server to the NAS server in the same manner as the portion would be allocated from the SAN server to a host attached to the second data communication network.
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5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
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coupling an administrative interface to the SAN server; and
receiving a storage allocation directive from the administrative interface with the SAN server.
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6. The method of claim 5, wherein said allocating step comprises the step of:
sending a NAS protocol storage allocation message from the SAN server to the NAS server.
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7. The method of claim 6, further comprising the step of:
sending a response from the NAS server to the SAN server that indicates whether said configuring step was successful.
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8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:
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deallocating a second virtual NAS storage device to form a deallocated storage portion;
unexporting the virtual NAS storage device; and
deconfiguring the deallocated storage portion.
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9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of:
receiving a storage deallocation directive from an administrative interface with the SAN server.
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10. The method of claim 9, wherein said deallocating step comprises the step of:
sending a NAS protocol storage deallocation message from the SAN server to the NAS server.
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11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of:
sending a response from the NAS server to the SAN server that indicates whether said deconfiguring step was successful.
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12. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:
coupling a second NAS server in parallel with the first NAS server.
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13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:
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determining the failure of the first NAS server; and
performing fail-over of storage resources from the first NAS server to the second NAS server.
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14. The method of claim 13, wherein said determining step comprises the step of:
monitoring a heartbeat signal sent from the first NAS server at the second NAS server.
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15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:
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notifying the second NAS server that the first NAS server has recovered; and
returning control of the storage resources to the first NAS server.
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16. A method for managing the allocation of storage from a storage area network (SAN) as network attached storage (NAS) to a data communication network, comprising the steps of:
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(a) receiving a storage management directive from a graphical user interface;
(b) sending a message corresponding to the received storage management directive to a NAS server; and
(c) receiving a response corresponding to the sent message from the NAS server. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
(d) providing an command line interface (CLI) at the graphical user interface; and
(e) allowing a user to input the storage directive as a CLI command into the CLI.
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18. The method of claim 16, wherein said message is a NAS protocol message, wherein step (b) comprises the step of:
sending a NAS protocol message corresponding to the received storage directive to a NAS server.
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19. The method of claim 16, wherein step (a) comprises the step of:
receiving a storage management directive from the graphical user interface that is any one of the following storage management directives;
storage allocation, list file systems, export file system, unexport file system, set permissions, obtain statistics, or configure NAS server.
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20. An apparatus for accessing a plurality of storage devices in a storage area network (SAN) as network attached storage (NAS) in a data communication network, comprising:
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a SAN server that includes;
a first interface configured to be coupled to the SAN; and
a second interface that is coupled to a first data communication network; and
a NAS server that includes;
a third interface configured to be coupled to a second data communication network; and
a fourth interface that is coupled to said first data communication network;
wherein said SAN server allocates a first portion of the plurality of storage devices in the SAN to be accessible through said second interface to at least one first host coupled to said first data communication network;
wherein said SAN server allocates a second portion of the plurality of storage devices in the SAN to said NAS server; and
wherein said NAS server configures access to said second portion of the plurality of storage devices to at least one second host coupled to said second data communication network. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
a storage mapper that maps said first at least one physical storage device to at least one first logical storage device that is accessible to said at least one first host;
wherein said second portion of the plurality of storage devices in the SAN includes a second at least one physical storage device; and
wherein said storage mapper maps said second at least one physical storage device to at least one second logical storage device that is allocated to said NAS server.
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22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein each of said first interface, said second interface, and said fourth interface includes a fibre channel or SCSI interface, and wherein said third interface includes an Ethernet adaptor.
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23. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a storage appliance, wherein said SAN server and said NAS server are included in said storage appliance.
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24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said NAS server exports at least a portion of said second portion of said plurality of storage devices through said third interface to said second data communication network using network file system (NFS) protocol.
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25. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein said NAS server exports at least a portion of said second portion of said plurality of storage devices through said third interface to said second data communication network using common Internet file system (CIFS) protocol.
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26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising an administrative interface coupled to said SAN server.
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27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein said administrative interface includes a graphical user interface.
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28. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a fibre channel switch coupled between said second interface of said SAN server and said first data communication network.
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29. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising a fibre channel switch coupled between said first interface of said SAN server and said SAN.
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30. A storage appliance for accessing a plurality of storage devices in a storage area network (SAN) as network attached storage (NAS) in a data communication network, comprising:
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a first SAN server configured to be coupled to the plurality of storage devices in the SAN via a first data communication network, wherein said first SAN server is configured to be coupled to a second data communication network;
a second SAN server configured to be coupled to the plurality of storage devices in the SAN via a third data communication network, wherein said second SAN server is configured to be coupled to a fourth data communication network;
a first NAS server configured to be coupled to a fifth data communication network, wherein said first NAS server is coupled to said second and said fourth data communication networks; and
a second NAS server configured to be coupled to said fifth data communication network, wherein said second NAS server is coupled to said second and said fourth data communication networks;
wherein said first SAN server allocates a first portion of the plurality of storage devices in the SAN to be accessible to at least one first host coupled to said second data communication network;
wherein said first SAN server allocates a second portion of the plurality of storage devices in the SAN to said first NAS server;
wherein said first NAS server configures access to said second portion of the plurality of storage devices to at least one second host coupled to said fifth data communication network;
wherein said second NAS server assumes the configuring of access to said second portion of the plurality of storage devices by said first NAS server during failure of said first NAS server; and
wherein said second SAN server assumes allocation of said second portion of the plurality of storage devices by said first SAN server during failure of said first SAN server. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
a first fibre channel switch coupled between said first SAN server and said second data communication network; and
a second fibre channel switch coupled between said second SAN server and said fourth data communication network.
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32. The apparatus of claim 30, further comprising:
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a first fibre channel switch coupled between said first SAN server and said first data communication network; and
a second fibre channel switch coupled between said second SAN server and said third data communication network.
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33. A system for interfacing a storage area network (SAN) with a first data communication network, wherein one or more hosts coupled to the first data communication network can access data stored in one or more of a plurality of storage devices in the SAN, wherein the one or more hosts access one or more of the plurality of storage devices as network attached storage (NAS), comprising the steps of:
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means for coupling a SAN server to a SAN;
means for coupling a NAS server to the SAN server through a second data communication network;
means for coupling the NAS server to the first data communication network;
means for allocating a portion of at least one of the plurality of storage devices from the SAN server to the NAS server;
means for configuring the allocated portion as NAS storage in the NAS server; and
means for exporting the configured portion from the NAS server to be accessible to the one or more hosts coupled to the first data communication network. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
means for coupling the SAN server to the second data communication network.
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35. The system of claim 34, wherein said means for allocating comprises:
means for viewing the NAS server from the SAN server as a host attached to the second data communication network.
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36. The system of claim 35, wherein means for allocating further comprises:
means for allocating the portion of at least one of the plurality of storage devices from the SAN server to the NAS server in the same manner as the portion would be allocated from the SAN server to a host attached to the second data communication network.
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37. The system of claim 33, further comprising:
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means for coupling an administrative interface to the SAN server; and
means for receiving a storage allocation directive from the administrative interface with the SAN server.
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Specification